Invalid s adjustable back-rest



(No Model.) 2 Sheets Sheet 1. J. PARKER.

' INVALIDS ADJUSTABLE BAGK REST. No. 484,974 Patented Oct. 25, 1892.

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' (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. PARKER. INVALIDS ADJUSTABLE BACK REST. N0. 484,974. Patented 001;.25, 1892.

r 0 I ,5 o I 0 0; -\\'-",-Z S;\M 7| 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN PARKER, OF CLINTON, CONNECTICUT.

INVALIDS ADJ U STAB LE BACK-REST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 484,974, dated October25, 1892.

' Application filed May 31, 1892. Serial No.434,858. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN PARKER, of Olinton, in the county of Middlesexand State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in InvalidsAdjustable Back-Rests; and I do hereby declare the following,when takenin connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of referencemarked'thereon, to

- be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which saiddrawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1,aview in side elevation of abackrest constructed in' accordancewith my invention; Fig. 2, a plan view thereof with the canopy-frameremoved and the hinged upright broken away; Fig. 3, a detached view inside elevation of the tray-support; Fig. 4., a view, partly in elevationand partly in section, of the device with the hinged frame thereofelevated and the tray-support and canopy-frame in position for use; Fig.5, a detached plan view of the tray-support and tray; Fig. 6, a similarview of the canopyframe, which is shown as when folded up or collapsed;and Fig. 7, a broken view in rear elevation of the hinged upright,showing the ratchet. on the winding-drum and the pawl for engagementtherewith.

My invention relates to an improvement in invalids beds, andparticularly to adjustable back-rests therefor, the object being topro-v duce a simple and convenient device possessing a wide range ofadjustment and adapted to be applied to an ordinary bed to facilitatethe lifting and general care of an invalid.

With these ends in view my invention consists in a device having certaindetails of construction and combinations of parts, as will behereinafter described .and pointed out in the claims.

As herein shown,the body A of the device is rectangular in form and hasits inner end open. It maybe constructed in any suitable manner, butwill preferably be framed of wood. In speaking of it I shall refer tothe end against the headboard as its outer end and the end within thebed as itsinner end. A rectangular suspension-frame B, substantiallyconforming in its exterior dimensions to the interior dimensions of thebody A, has its inner end hinged by studs B B to the extreme inner endof the said body, the

outer end of the said frame being thus free to be raised and lowered.This suspensionframe supports a pillow or small mattress C, conformingto it in size and of any approved material and construction.

As herein shown, the outer end of the frame is provided with two hingedclampsD D, each having an operating-button d and a spring d, Fig. 4, forholding the pillow in place, the outer end of the pillow being tuckedbetween the said clamps and the outer end of the frame, as clearly shownby Fig. 1 of the drawings. The pillow is supported upon a yieldingsurface E, stretched across the upper surface of the suspension-frameand consisting of webbing, woven wire, or other suitable material. Theouter end of the frame is provided at a point midway of its length witha block F, to which the lower end of a heavy cord G is secured, the saidcord passing upward and over a pulley G, mountedin the upper end of anupright H, the lower end whereof is mounted on a horizontal shaft H,hearing in a small box H secured to the outer end of the body A. Thesaid upright is thus hinged for swinging movement forward and back inthe line of the body and frame. The

other end of the cord G is fastened to the shaft or winding-drum I of aWinch and mounted upon the outer face of the said upright at a pointthereon where it is conven iently accessible for operation by a personstanding near the head of the bed to which the device is applied. Thesaid shaft is mounted in a frame I, bolted to the upright, and isprovided at its outerend with a crank I and with a ratchet-wheel 1 thelatter being engaged by a dog orpawl I. The block F, before mentioned,is furnished with an outwardly-projecting arm F, carrying a roller Fwhich engages with the inner face of the upright and guides and steadiesthe suspension-frame as the same is raised and lowered bymeans of thewinch. I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the useof a rope and winch for raising and lowering the bed, as I might employin place thereof a screw or any other equivalent device. It will beclear that by means of the suspensionframe and the operating mechanismconnected therewith the invalid may have the upper portion of his bodyraised or lowered as his comfort or care may require. He may, forinstance, be raised to a sitting posture for the purpose of giving himhis food, and with that object in view I provide the device with aremovable tray-support having two arms J J, Fig. 5, the free endswhereof are inserted into suitable pockets J, arranged to receive them:and formed in the opposite sides of the body A of the device, as clearlyshown by Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The opposite ends of the saidarms are pivotally attached to the under face of an open frame J toswing in the plane thereof. A table K, conforming in its dimensions tothe interior dimensions of the said frame, is suspended by its endstherein on short studs jj and constructed with a bowed arm K,locatedinits outer edge and midway the length thereof and provided witha series of transverse openings to receive a key K mounted in the outerside of the open frame J. The swinging table is thus adapted to be fixedin a horizontal plane in accordance with the adjustment of thesuspension-frame. A little tray L, adapted to be supported on the saidtable, is provided at its ends with rings Z Z, which are caught overpins Z I, with which the table is furnished, whereby the tray is held inplace thereon. The tray-support thus described is very easily applied toand removed from the body of the device and very easily adjustedaccording to the adjustment of the frame thereof and the convenience ofthe invalid, who is thus en-- abled to take his food with much morecom-,

fort than he can do from a tray placed upon the bed or upon a tableplaced by it. The upper end of the upright is provided with a head M, inwhich the pulley G, before mentioned, is mounted, the said head beingconstructed with an opening or socket M to receive the lower end N of apost N, the upper end of which is vertically bifurcated to receive thevertical plate 0 of a canopy-frame. The said plate 0 has a horizontalplate 0 applied to its upper edge and forming a bearing for the innerends of the arms 0 the outer ends of which are connected by a flexibleband 0 As herein shown, there are five of these arms, of which the outerpair are hinged at their inner ends to a head P, located upon thebearing-plate 0', while the inner ends of the inner pair are hinged tothe inner end of the middle arm, which is fixed in its position. Whenthese arms are opened out, they form a skeleton frame, as it were, forthe support of a netting of gauze by which the invalid is protected. Thearms are held in their open positions by means of pins 0 inserted intoholes 0 in front of the arms of the outer pair, as shown by broken linesin Fig. 6 of the drawings. The vertical plate 0 is hung in the upper endof the post N, before mentioned, on a pin 0 and provided along its loweredge with a segmental series of perforations 0, which receive a plug 0mounted in the post, whereby the said vertical plate may be locked tothe post in diiferent positions relative with buttons Q with which theloops in the said ropes are engaged, whereby the rest may be adjustedaccording to the convenience of the invalid. The rest may be very easilydetached and replaced as required, and will enable him to sustain asitting or raised posture with comfort.

It will be understood that the whole device may be used in connectionwith any ordinary bed, being easily applied thereto and removedtherefrom, the inner end of the suspensionframe and the pillow ormattress being constructed so that the latter will shade into the bed,so to speak, and cause the invalid no discomfort.

It is apparent that, in carrying out my in vention some changes from theconstruction herein shown and described may be made, and I wouldtherefore have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exactform setforth, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes andalterations therein as fairly fall within the spirit and scopeof myinvention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an invalids adjustable back-rest, the combination, with a body, ofan uprighthinged to the outer end thereof, a suspension-frame hinged toits inner end, a rope attached to the free outer end of the said frameand running over a pulley in the upper end of the upright, and a winchapplied to the said upright for taking up and paying out the rope whichis attached to it to raise and lower the susand a tray-supportconstructed for removable attachment to the said body and comprising twoarms, an open frame having the outer ends of the arms pivoted to itsopposite ends to swing in thesame plane with it, a table suspended atits ends within the said frame and adapted to support a tray, and meansfor locking the table at different inclinations within the said frame,substantially as described.

3. In an invalids adjustable back-rest, the combination, with a body, ofan uprighthinged to the outer end thereof, a suspension-frame the upperface of the said bearing-plate, and means for coupling the said post andvertical plate in different inclinations of the latter, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

JOHN PARKER.

Witnesses:

FRED. O. EARLE, GEORGE D. SEYMORE.

